As the Asian Games unfolds on 1st of December, here is a curtain raiser call on players to watch out for who can be superstars of this edition of games.

there are many a sportspersons who have left their impressions unforgettable during the past, this year is going to be no different.

Here with we at FunEnclave present a biography / Profile of the notable players participating at the Doha Asian Games, 2006.



Like father, like son


Profile: Koji Murofushi (Japan)
Athletics (hammer)



Following in the footsteps of a father who achieved legendary status in the same sport cannot be easy for any athlete, with people all too quick to draw comparisons between the two.

When that father won an incredible five hammer gold medals in a row at the Asian Games between 1970 and 1986, the weight of expectation would seemingly be even greater to continue this sporting dynasty.

However in the case of Japanese hammer thrower Koji Murofushi this does not appear to have been a problem – with the 32 year-old now a famous name in his own right and not just as the son of the legendary Shigenobu Murofushi.

Even so it would be amiss not to mention the comparisons given that both won their first Asian Games titles in the Thai capital Bangkok; Shigenobu in 1970 – improving on his silver medal in 1966 – and Koji 28 years later.

Delve a little deeper and you discover that while Murofushi senior was the first Asian man to throw the hammer over 70m, his son would go on to become the first Asian to launch it beyond the 80m mark in 2000.

Koji is now approaching 85m, having set the Asian record at 84.86m back in June 2003 in the Czech Republic to claim 5th place on the men’s hammer throw all-time list. He also holds the Asian Games record with a conservative 78.72m.
Birthday present

That best will surely be bettered next month in Doha when Koji will be the red-hot favourite to win his third consecutive Asian Games gold, having successfully defended his title in Busan, South Korea, four years ago.

Coming as it did with a new Games record throw of 78.72 – 15cm further than his benchmark set in 1998, this victory was all the more special for Koji as it gave him the perfect present on what was his 28th birthday.

Afterwards Koji was inevitably asked about his chances of emulating Shigenobu’s five gold medals, but said: “My father was so great that he competed until he was 41 years old. I can’t imagine that I will do better than him.”

Perhaps not do better, but equalling the haul is not beyond Koji if he were to compete beyond his 40th birthday into the 17th Asian Games. Indeed had it not been for Bi Zhong of China at the Games in Hiroshima in 1994, Koji would already have three gold medals.

That would have been a remarkable victory given that Koji only made his international debut for Japan at the 1992 World Junior Championships, having taken up the sport in his mid teens and been coached by his father.

Koji went on to attend Chukyo University’s School of Physical Education, but his father inevitably remained the main influence with the advice that only by studying the science of strength and technique would he improve.

Doha 2006 - Like father, like son